Brick Pavers Cleaning & Sealing Now in Season for Summer

The summer season has began for cleaning & sealing of brick pavers in Southeast Michigan.  As the temperatures and dryer weather prevail, the conditions for an optimal sealing of brick pavers exists. These homeowners in Canton, MI decided to have their brick pavers done in June. 

Spring in Southeast Michigan presents a lot of challenges for cleaning and sealing brick pavers.  Weather and temperatures are erratic and can cause anxiety and frustration when executing a brick paver sealing project.  I usually would recommend that cleaning & sealing of brick pavers be scheduled after mid-May to insure optimal conditions for the best appearance.  The cleaning and sealing season will usually end by the end of October.  

The desired temperatures for brick paver sealants is between 50-90 degrees.  When deciding to seal pavers at the 2 extreme temps, its important to take in effect sunlight, humidity, and wind.  Cleaning of brick pavers and re-sanding of paver joints does not really have any weather restrictions.  Brick paver projects that do not involve using sealer, I will perform as early as late March to Thanksgiving.  

Cleaning & sealing of brick pavers can be performed as a DIY project or by a professional brick paver contractor.  Depending on which approach the homeowner decides to take, great patience and detail must be executed to have an optimal result and appearance.  

Brick Paver Walkway Brought Back to Life!

 Before

This homeowner had a brick paver walkway that was installed 32 years ago.  There has been no repair or maintenance work done to these pavers since the initial installation.  The homeowner considered having the brick walkway replaced with new pavers or concrete. 

After getting quotes for over $13,000 for replacing with new pavers and over $8,000 for a new concrete walk, this homeowner decided to go with my recommendation to "bring it back to life" with a brick paver restoration approach.  The cost for this "bring it back to life" paver restoration would be under $2,000.  The approach is to repair just some of the severely sunken pavers, but a lot imperfections would still remain.  

Before

Running a plate compactor over ALL the pavers would help improve performance by locking up the pavers.  This plate compaction also helps improve the overall appearance of the pavers.   

Powerwash cleaning the brick pavers and paver joints is a tedious job, even if using a 4000 psi powerwasher.  Great care is taken to reduce the mess from debris but using some common sense and experienced strategies makes the work successful.   

After

Clean up is done and then waiting for the pavers & pavers joints to dry begins.  The next day paver joint sand is swept in joints, blown off clean, and touched up to prepare for sealing.  

A high quality "matte" finish brick paver sealant is applied.  The first coat is a "flood coat" so it soaks into the joints, then shortly after, a light second coat is applied to adhere more sealant to the paver surface.  

After

The before & after pictures of this brick paver walkway tell the story. It is an incredible paver restoration & overall appearance but reversing the years of neglect is limited. 

I always advise if you stay on a routine brick paver maintenance program for your brick pavers, they can look like the day they were installed!

Brick Paver Spring Maintenance in Ann Arbor

Time to perform spring maintenance on your brick paver patio, walks, & driveway!

Spring has sprung in Michigan and the threat of any further freeze thaw cycles is done.  This means it is time to strategize on the maintenance objectives of your brick pavers.  Assessing the needs and care that are to be taken to ensure long-term performance is upon you.

 

Take the time to inspect your brick paver walks, patio, and driveway for sunken or lifted pavers.  If sunken, it will take some effort to lift out, add some base, and reinstall.  If raised, it may only take tamping down with a hand tamper or power plate compactor.   Make sure you do not mistake sunken or raised pavers areas because the other is true.  For example, slightly sunken paver areas may look like the surrounding area is raised.  Evaluate which circumstance is true and execute the correct action.

 

The brick pavers in Spring may seem a little loose due to the thawed base under the pavers.  Also, the lack of paver joint sand in the joints will let pavers rock back and forth slightly.  This signals the most important step in maintaining your brick pavers…. Spring sand sweeping!  It is important to keep your paver joints filled with joint sand.  On a dry day, drop a bag or more of paver joint sand and spread over all your brick pavers.  Sweep generously over all the pavers and paver joints to insure filling any empty joints.   Blow off all your pavers with a light passing of a blower, insuring you don’t blow the sand out of the joints.  Any excess sand on top of the pavers will wash off with Spring rains but don’t leave any piles of sand on your pavers.

 

This is the most basic and beneficial service for your brick pavers.  This needs to be performed every Spring, preferably in mid to late April.  For the purpose of this article, I have not talked about cleaning & sealing of your brick pavers.  These are premium services that I discuss in detail in many other past articles.  Basically, if you feel your brick pavers need cleaning before adding new joint sand, just power wash the pavers & paver joints, let dry completely, and then sweep joint sand.  When it comes to sealing your brick pavers, I recommend it every 2-3 years, and you should perform the steps of cleaning and sweeping of joint sand prior to any sealing.

 

I want to further note that your Spring touch up of paver joint sand is “regular” paver joint sand, NOT polymeric sand (hardening sand).  Polymeric sand is another premium service which requires cleaning of all paver joints prior to sweeping in.  When working with polymeric sand, great care needs to be taken to make sure you avoid a disastrous result.  

 

Brick pavers will perform excellent if you just perform this basic paver maintenance each Spring.  Paver joint sand is the blood line of all brick paver installations.  Spring brick paver maintenance can easily be performed by you the homeowner, or performed by an experience brick paver contractor at a reasonable cost. Contact us at brickdoctorbill@gmail.com if you want a qualified brick paver contractor to perform this service for you.

Pavers Patio & Step Repair and Restoration

Brick pavers repair, cleaning, and sealing brings this Pavers Patio and Step in Canton, MI back alive!

This raised brick pavers patio  in Canton, MI needed some real attention.  After years of neglect and no paver maintenance, this pavers patio and paver step was beginning to show serious signs of failure and poor appearance. This patio and step was becoming a safety hazard for tripping.



We assured the homeowner that all is not lost and we can repair and restore their raised brick paver patio and paver step back to its glory days!  We reset and releveled the brick pavers and paver step where needed,  re-compacted the pavers to help relock an loose paving stones, did a professional cleaning, re-sanding all paver joints with regular paver joint sand, and sealed with an approved brick paver sealant which gave great color enhancement, surface protection, and joint (sand) stabilization.

Upon completion of this raised pavers patio and step repair & restoration, the homeowners where very pleased and amazed of the transformation from the old & neglected patio to the new and improved outdoor living space.


Now with minor routine (yearly) maintenance and attention, this raised brick paver patio and step will look beautiful for many decades!  We advised the homeowner to have the patio and walk sealed every 2-3 years and keep joint sand in the joints at all times.

Brick Pavers Patio Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing begins for Spring 2016

Restoration and Spring Maintenance for paver patio in Canton starts the new season

Brick Doctor Bill and Team has started the 2016 season with a brick pavers patio & walkway repair, cleaning, & sealing.  Contacting a qualified and experienced brick paver contractor is crucial to a successful and rewarding experience having your paver patio and walkway restored.

Before

This raised brick paver patio in Canton, MI is well over 12years old and required some immediate attention and restoration.  The upper level brick pavers had sunk below the height of the outside raised patio wall blocks & caps, therefore water could not drain off the patio and creating a serious trip hazard.  The paver step leading into the doorwall had fallen apart and due to the lack of any routine maintenance, weeds & dirt had taken over the brick paver joints.


Brick Doctor Bill and Team lifted up the entire upper level paver surface, recompacted the existing base, added additional base to raise & relevel the patio for proper drainage, rebuilt the brick paver step at doorwall, and secured any area of the outside raised patio wall blocks & caps that were loose.

AFTER

After we performed the brick paver repairs listed above, we cleaned the brick pavers, wall blocks & caps, and paver joints to prep for sealing.  We finished this brick paver patio restoration by sealing the entire structure with an approved brick paver sealant.

The client can now enjoy the beauty and functionality of this raised brick pavers patio that is was intended to perform.  Do not wait to call a qualified brick paver contractor to have your patio repaired or restored before it deteriorates even more or becomes a safety hazard.  After restored, some nominal maintenance cost or time each Spring will insure long-term performance and appearance.

Brick Pavers repair, cleaning, sealing, & maintenance has sprung in Michigan!

Restoration of pavers patios, walks, steps, & driveways performed in Canton,Plymouth,Northville, and Livonia, MI

The ground is thawing in Michigan and the ever expanding nature of pavements, such as, interlocking brick pavers, begin to stress under this Spring occurrence.  Pushed to the limit, brick pavers will look wavy, pushed up, or contorted.  Our clients who we educate that this is a normal and natural event needs to exhibit some patience before getting discouraged about the performance of their brick paver patios, walks, steps, driveways, etc.. 

Easter is here and we will begin the inspection and bidding process later this week. To properly assess any need for paver repairs to damaged or failed brick pavers, the ground frost must have exited the ground below to make an accurate estimate.

Brick pavers maintenance is a growing need for our clients and we reward them (and us) by contacting them each March regarding our yearly brick paver services available.  We start every Spring by offering to service OUR CLIENTS first!  We contact our clients prior to doing any estimating of new business to allow them to get on our schedule.  Aside from touch-up repairs or the releveling of the pavers, we offer the following brick pavers services each Spring: 

We begin each Spring season offering our valued clients our Spring Sand Sweeping and Compacting service.  We re-compact their brick pavers using a plate compacting machine to help re-lock the brick pavers and hopefully knock back down any pavers left sticking up.  We then finish with sweeping regular paver joint sand over their pavers to help refill any voided joints from the Winter snow, ice, & thaw.  Keeping paver joints filled is the number one maintenance need of brick pavers to help avoid erosion, shifting, & weed growth.

The next popular service we offer each Spring is Cleaning, Sanding, and Compacting of our clients brick paver patios, walks, driveways, etc..  This valuable service just adds cleaning of the brick paver surface and joints.  Clients usually take advantage of this service every 2 years as dirt, moss, mildew, or vegetation growth may reappear.


Brick Paver Sealing is becoming our largest growing service over the last 5 years as customers want to restore the original look and preserve the appearance of their paver patios, walks, and driveways.

Cleaning, sanding, & compacting is always included in this sealing service, so basically, its a total restoration of your brick pavers. Sealing of brick pavers is usually performed every 2-3 years depending on your personal preference of  their appearance. 

We offer these valuable services to ALL clients, old and new.  Once you have become one of our clients, you will get priority each Spring to have your brick pavers maintained and preserved to your liking for many years to come!  This is our goal and this is our business!

Pavers Patio Restored to Original Beauty!

Patio repair, cleaning, sanding, and sealing is performed

This past month we performed a complete restoration of a pavers patio in Livonia, MI.  Due to some neglect and severe Winter frost damage, this paver patio had seen better days.  The homeowner contacted us to see if we can restore this brick pavers patio and paver steps to their original beauty and performance.

BEFORE

We began by performing repair to the brick pavers around the perimeter of the wall block caps and reset
them flush.  The paver steps needed some releveling and adhering of caps to make them safe & functional.  We also ran the power plate compactor over the entire pavers patio to help relock loose brick pavers.

AFTER

Upon completion of the brick paver repairs, we power washed and cleaned all the paving stones, paver joints, wall blocks, and caps.  We resanded the paver joints with regular paver joint sand.  It is highly recommended not to use any poly or bonding sands when sealing your brick pavers.

We returned a couple days later when we where confident all was dry, touched up the paver joints with sand as needed, and applied an approved brick paver sealant.  This customer choose a "wet look" glossy sealer.  We also offer a "matte" satin finish sealer for those customers who do not want the gloss look. Paver sealants will last approximately 2-3 years but most of our repeat customers like to reseal every 2 years to get a fresh new look.

With routine Spring sand sweeping of joint sand and touch-up repairs & plate compacting of the brick pavers, this newly restored pavers patio will remain in pristine condition for a long time.  The performance and appearance will benefit the customer for many years to come!

Simple Repair & Cleaning of Brick Pavers Patio and Walk in Plymouth, MI

Repairs, Cleaning, Sealing, and Maintenance of Brick Pavers is on fire!

This past week we performed a simple restoration of a brick paver patio and walkway in Plymouth, MI.  This is our most common brick paver service: simple touch-up repairs of sunken or lifted pavers, cleaning of the paving stones and paver joints, re-sanding of the paver joints, and re-gluing or loose block wall or step caps .  Some customers will elect to have sealing of their paver installations but this is completely optional.

This paver patio and walkway was installed about 12 years ago and this was the first attention it received.  The cost for our service on this particular raised paver patio and walk was $1,150.  This price did NOT include sealing with an approved brick paver sealant. Had this customer elected to seal this paver patio & walk, it would have been an additional $400.

All paver restoration jobs are priced custom and require different services and costs.  Repairs are the biggest variable when pricing restoration projects. Paver Step repair or patio wall blocks & caps are usually the most expensive repair to perform.

Cleaning & Sanding is very reasonable when performed during repairs.  The current condition of the paver surface & joints determines the overall cleaning cost.  Sealing is always optional and our costs includes using the "right" paver sealants that run approx. $175/ 5 gallon drum.  Many pseudo contractors are using imitation or the wrong sealers for high density concrete pavers.  I can not tell you how many times customers call me when things go wrong with sealing from other contractors or themselves.

Simple paver patio restorations can bring back the life of your outdoor living space.  Hiring a qualified brick paver contractor, not a landscaper or handy man service, is the first step in getting a quality job done.  The next step is being diligent and not neglecting your brick pavers.

3, 2, 1, ...Let's GO! Brick Paver Repairs

As Michigan flutters between Winter & Spring this week, the rush by homeowners to begin there Spring projects is ready to explode.  The anticipation of Winter ground frost exiting the earth is teasing and slow this March in Southeast Michigan.  Once it is clear, the seasonal madness of brick paver repair, installation, cleaning & sealing, and maintenance will begin!

Each day the weather is warm or sunny, my phone line is busy.  Each day the weather is snowy & gray, my leads come to a halt!  The reality is that Spring is coming soon and to wait will only delay a homeowner's time frame for having their brick paver restoration project completed.

Many proactive homeowners have contacted or contracted with us since late January to insure an April or May completion of work.  The position on the calendar is more important than the current weather outside.  Spring will come fast! 

From 0 to 60 we will be in full brick paver production in a few weeks.  As always, if you require some type of brick paver repair or installation services, hire a qualified and reputable brick paver contractor over an inexperienced landscape contractor or handy man service.  See you soon!

Brick Paver Patio Sealed in Ann Arbor

Sealing Brick Pavers should be performed by a Qualified & Experienced Contractor

We completed this Brick Paver Sealing of a paver patio in Ann Arbor this past week.  This paver patio was installed by another brick paver contractor only a year ago. The homeowner was frustrated with the original installing contractor because they had no interest in cleaning and sealing the patio they installed.

With a little prodding by the homeowner, the original installing contractor finally gave them a quote that was twice the cost of our quote.  The homeowner was fully aware that the contractor was not interested in performing this service and just tossed out a high quote.  We were here again to meet a homeowner's need at a very reasonable price!

 I see this all the time where a brick paver or landscape contractor is only interested in installing brick pavers and do not offer affordable & timely after services that homeowner's need.  Oh, they will do the job if you are willing to pay the high quote they throw out there! 

True brick paver contractors will not only give you a competitive quote, they will schedule your brick paver repairs, cleaning, sanding, sealing, etc.. like any other project.  They will also offer a seasonal maintenance program that will offer long-term performance and appearance of your brick pavers.  For homeowners on a tight budget, they will educate their clients on how to perform these paver maintenance services themselves.
 
This brick paver patio needed a general cleaning and the removal of one stained area in the middle.  The paver patio was re-sanded and we returned a day & half later when all was dry.  We carefully applied an approved brick paver sealant to this paver patio including the bordering sitting walls & pillars.

Fall is still a good time to clean & seal brick pavers.  Our pricing for these paver services are typically 15-20% cheaper than our Spring prices.  As long as temps are over 50 degrees, sealing pavers can be performed safely.  Other than budgeting for paver services, there is no advantage in waiting until Spring.

Push to complete Fall Brick Paver Restorations in Full Gear

Completing Paver Repairs prior to Winter in Michigan is Essential

Our Fall season push for completing Brick Paver repair, sanding, cleaning, and sealing is in full gear.  Fall restoration of paver patios, walkways, driveways, paver steps, etc.. is essential to be completed prior to late Fall rains & Winter ground frost.  Both rain and ground frost are the biggest contributors to expanding the occurrence and size of paver repairs.

Compromised or settled brick pavers & retaining walls are stretched to their limits if left unattended or not properly reset.  Water flowing into settled pavers areas & paver joints results in face paced erosion and further damage.  Winter ground frost will heave and expand the structure and if the brick pavers or retaining walls are not properly set,  the whole interlocking paver system will begin to fail.

Before

When I am bidding in the Fall, I often hear the response from homeowners that "we may wait until next Spring to have this done".  This can be a costly mistake.  Aside from the compromised areas increasing in size and thus more labor or material costs, Fall prices are usually less than Spring prices for services.  Most brick paver and landscape contractors in Michigan are slowing up in demand for services in the Fall.  Once Spring arrives, the demand is incredibly high and the pencil is not so sharp! 

After

I also explain to my customers that usually after Jan 1, our renewals for businesss, auto, workmans comp,& liability insurance occur. These costs are always rising.  Crew member wages usually increase beginning each Spring too. Labor is the largest cost variable in our brick paver services.

This past week we performed some brick pavers restorations that not only improved the performance & appearance of their pavers, but insured that their cost for repairs will not increase by waiting until Spring.  When Spring arrives, these homeowners will enjoy their newly restored pavers and not have to wait to have done when the weather breaks.  Most important is the cost savings having done in the Fall versus the Spring!

Pavers Patio and Walkway Restored after 25 years

Brick Pavers are resilient and offer the best long-term pavement solution

 
We recently restored this Pavers Patio and Walkway in Ann Arbor that was originally installed 25 years ago.  The homeowner gave up about 5 years ago removing weeds from the open & gapping joints. I assured the homeowner that we could re-use the existing brick pavers and re-install the paver patio and paver walkway to their original dimensions, design, and appearance.  Aside from the normal effects of weathering, the original function of the paving stones would be restored.

We completely lifted up the brick pavers, removed any organic matter, re-compacted the original base material, added additional base as needed, and reinstalled the paving stones in the original shape, size, and design.  We cleaned the pavers and re-sanded with regular joint sand.  We then returned a week later when all was dry and applied an approved brick paver sealant.  The main purpose for sealing was to protect the paving stones from any further weathering.


  The homeowner was never instructed by the installing contractor that they needed to keep the paver joints filled with joint sand. The installing contractor at the time told them that "brick pavers are NO maintenance" and they " will never move".  This was a constant theme I encountered through the early years of brick pavers in Southeast Michigan. 

At the completion of this brick paver restoration project, we spent the much needed time educating the customer of the minimum maintenance requirements of interlocking pavers.  Spring sand sweepings of the paver joints and periodic spot repairs of any settled pavers will insure endless years of beauty and function.

Full Service Brick Paver Contractors Give You the Best Option

Homeowner's will need post or after installation services of their Brick Pavers

I sold a brick paver patio cleaning and sealing project this week whereby a homeowner had a prominent Ann Arbor landscape company install their brick paver patio last Fall.  They contacted this landscape firm this Spring to have the paver patio sealed.  The homeowner was told they do NOT provide any of those services! I hear this theme on a daily basis and this has shaped the business model of our company.

Poorly sealed Paver Patio

When some of these contractors do perform these services, they usually send inexperienced labor and not skilled workers.  This has lead to many frustrating problems for homeowner's who are left with inferior repairs and discolored sealed patios.  I had one homeowner who's paver patio & walkway had totally turned white from an inferior sealer or was improperly applied. He was told to "wait a year and it will go away".


I have been preaching for years that homeowners must do their due diligence when hiring a contractor to install, reconstruct, or redesign their brick pavers.  Start by hiring a true brick pavers contractor who's main business is interlocking brick pavers & modular retaining walls & steps.  Then make sure they offer after installation services, such as, after warranty repair, cleaning & sealing, and routine maintenance programs.

Patio falling apart

 Make sure that these brick paver after installation services will be scheduled work, even in the Spring, and not "fill in work" or the famous "when we can get to it" response.  A true brick paver contractor emphasizes the paver repair & restoration service end of the business and not just when the season gets slow.  The homeowner wants to enjoy their pavers patio, walkway, or driveway during the Summer when Michigan presents its best opportunity.

Reconstructing from the ground up

Keep in mind that doing brick paver repair, reconstruction, rebuild, and sealing services is more difficult to execute than an unrestricted new installation.  It takes experience, forethought, and some expertise to execute some of these repair services. Prepping and making the right decisions on timing and application for sealing brick pavers is crucial too.

Patio reconstructed & sealed

You can not just send anybody out there to perform these paver services.  A true brick paver contractor will have an experienced, foreman type, worker performing your restoration services. The owner will have the forethought to offer the best options & costs that make sense for either the short or long-term. The brick paver company will schedule your work like any other work they perform, and not make you wait until it is convenient for them!

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Sealed Paver Patios & Walks still need Spring Sand Sweeping

Sealing Brick Pavers enhances colors and protects from weathering

I have been educating my clients for almost 30 years that sealing of brick pavers is for enhancing the color of their paving stones or modular retaining wall blocks and caps. Aesthetics is the key reason for deciding to seal your pavers.  While giving your brick paver patio, walkway, driveway, porch, etc.. the "wet", gloss, or matte look, slowing down the effects of weathering is another valuable benefit of sealing. 

Many inexperienced and misleading landscape contractors have convinced customers that sealing their brick paver patios will also permanently harden the sand in the paver joints, eliminating the growth of weeds or the need to sweep joints in the future.  This can not be further from the truth!

Over time brick paver sealants or joint stabilizers, whether applied as a liquid or swept in as a solid,
will break down in the paver joints due to winter frost, erosion, or ground movements.  Paver joints absorb the movement of the interlocking pavement system and that is one of the keys to its success and performance.

Sealed paver joints are no exception.  They will loosen over time and require refilling of paver joint sand. Time is a variable due to weather, erosion, climate, and frost conditions. It is not necessary to reseal the paver joints when re-sweeping.  Keep up will refilling your paver joints with the proper joint sand and reseal your paver patio, walkway, driveway, porch, etc.. when necessary for the paving stones which is usually every 2-3 years (or summers). 

Sand sweeping of paver joints will be a continued routine maintenance of sealed brick paver installations.  Do not have your pavers sealed because you are under the impression you will not have to have joint sand swept in periodically.  If you keep your paver joints filled with clean joint sand, and not dirt & organic matter, you will greatly reduce any evidence of weeds.

Sealing of your Brick Paver Patio

Brick Paver Sealants can bring back the Life of your Pavers Patio

We have begun working this week in Michigan with temperatures topping 85 degrees this mid-March.  As we perform our normal Spring sand sweepings for customers, we have been getting a lot of interest for sealing of their brick paver patios, walks, driveways, and more.

I always explain to my customers that sealing of pavers is optional. You do not have to seal brick pavers to insure the long-term success of their structural integrity.  If you want to insure the long-term surface appearance from the effects of weathering or need to bring your aging pavers patio or walk back to life, then sealing is a viable option.

My professional opinion is to seal your brick pavers for "aesthetic" purposes first. If you like the enhanced or darkened color of your pavers when sealed, then consider having them sealed by a professional & experienced brick paver contractor.  To get a preview, just wet your pavers down on a cloudy day or when your pavers are in the shade to get a close representation of how they will look sealed.  That should be your number one reason to seal!

Sealing your pavers patio, walkway, driveway, etc.. for the sand joints or weed deterrence is the wrong reasons to seal pavers!  Keeping up with the routine maintenance requirements of brick pavers will help alleviate these issues. It is much cheaper to do Spring maintenance programs with full service brick pavers contractor than to pay the cost of sealing each 2-3years.  In addition, the sealed joint sand in frost states such as Michigan will still loosen over the winter months and need periodic touch-ups. 

One complication that has been arising this year is that customers we did extensive paver patio cleaning & sanding last year, now want to seal this year.  The issue is that their pavers patio has to have a general prep or cleaning prior to sealing because many customers have let the patio get dirty or stained.  Depending on the severity of the conditions, I have convinced most to do the cleaning prep themselves and we will fill the paver joints with sand as needed and properly apply the paver sealant.

In an earlier post I did on prepping for sealing, I explained the reasons for prep that are needed prior to applying an approved brick paver sealant to high density interlocking concrete pavers.  When you are dealing with a horizontal surface, outside, uncovered ,and unprotected from the elements, its an uncontrolled environment that has a lot of variables. You can not make it perfect and you just try to do the best you can to get the best possible results!

Then and Now : Replace Old Decks with New Raised Paver Patios

Replace old high maintenance Decks with new low maintenance Pavers Patios

After a homeowner has experienced the high maintenance costs and seasonal requirements of a deck, they are quick to replace these decks with a low maintenance option of Raised Paver Patios.  When properly designed and installed by an experienced brick paver contractor, Raised Paver Patios will out perform any other outdoor living space at a minimal upkeep cost.

Since the economy suffered in Southeast Michigan, homeowner's are not moving as much so they are investing home improvement dollars into their current home.  There has been a trend in improving their outdoor living space by removing dilapidated and high maintenance decks with the dramatic impact of brick pavers and modular retaining wall blocks & caps.

This post includes some before & after pics to give you the visual of a dramatic transformation for your backyard. Raised Paver Patios offer unlimited design options for long-term performance and unmatched beauty.  When designing a raised paver patio, function is the main design aspect that a good brick paver contractor will consider.  Paver step design, usable patio space, elevations, and traffic flow all influence the design process.

Maintenance for raised paver patios is minimal.  Sweeping of paver joint sand each Spring and occasionally in the Fall will reduce any need for repair in the future.  To reduce the frequency of sweeping of paver joint sand, you can choose to use polymeric sand at a little higher cost.  Full service brick paver contractors will offer seasonal sweeping service at a nominal charge.

If you choose to seal your paver patio with an approved brick paver sealant, you will only need to perform this maintenance step every 3 years.  If you decide not to seal your pavers patio again in the future, the structural integrity of the pavers, blocks, and caps will not be compromised. Decks require stripping, staining, and re-sealing every 2 years at a high cost or your extreme sweat equity to keep its original appearance.

The cost of a new Raised Paver Patio is inline with a cost of a composite or cedar deck depending on height.  If you your doorwall is 3ft or under to the grade, the cost is inline. If you exceed 3ft, there needs to be an evaluation of the feasibility of using interlocking pavers & modular retaining wall system.  Combinations of composite decking steps and brick pavers is a viable option when heights are extreme.


The best paver jobs I have installed over the past 29 years have been the replacement of old wooden decks with raised paver patios.  These paver patios dramatically improve the curb appeal of the home and give the homeowner piece of mind that they will not experience long-term upkeep costs or aggravation. 

Hold off Sealing Your Brick Pavers until Spring

Proper conditions for sealing brick pavers is important

It's now Fall in Michigan and you should hold off sealing your brick paver patio, walkway, porch, steps, or driveway until next Spring.  Sealing pavers is tricky enough and trying to force the issue this time of year may result in costly and aggravating results. Believe me when I say it will be worth the wait if anything went wrong.

Even if the weather is dry enough for sealing, low temperatures & moisture in the paver joints can have an adverse effect on the performance of brick paver sealants.   White clouding, residue, or hazing can result from sealing in non-optimal conditions.  In Michigan, it is best to seal in surface & air temperatures between 60-75 degrees.

If the air or brick paver surface is too cold, the brick paver sealant may crystallize or turn white, leaving you with a costly and timely effort to correct. If the paver joints are too moist (wet), it can leave white lines in the paver joints and on the edges of the paving stones.

Another issue late in the Fall is LEAVES!  If you avoid them from leaving any leaf stains after fall rains, it is treacherous to avoid any from falling on freshly sealed pavers.  Usually most brick paver sealants are dry to the touch within an hour, but if leaves fall and lay flat on the paving stone surface during this curing time, this will usually result in a problem. 

During the Summer if the air or brick paver surface is too hot, usually over 80 degrees, you can experience blistering (bubbles) or have a white haze trap under the paver sealant.  High humidity days are also a no no and very windy days can adversely dry sealant prematurely creating blistering. Again if you force the issue, you will spend alot of time, cost, and effort trying to correct these adverse conditions.

As a brick paver sealing contractor, there is a small window of months in a Michigan season to perform this service.  When you add in days of rain, heat, excessive winds, and unseasonably cold days, you can see the frustration of completing this paver maintenance service each year. 

Our peak paver sealing season is usually mid-May to early July, then we get another stretch from Labor Day to mid October.  I do recommend that you go ahead and complete the power wash cleaning of the brick pavers and paver joints and re-sanding of all the joints prior to Winter.  When Spring comes around, you will only need to touch up the paver joints with sand and then get ready to seal when temps allow.

As always, only use an approved brick paver sealant on your brick pavers.  Anything at Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, or a Hardware store is NOT the correct product.  Always purchase or insist on a paver sealant that is distributed by a brick paver manufacturer. These sealers will typically last for 2-3 years before you will need to consider having another application.


Ask your brick paver contractor which paver sealant he is using and ask that he write down the brand of sealant or leave the empty container (properly sealed up) behind.  This way you can use the same brick paver sealant for future applications. Make sure prior to sealing that all paving stones and paver joints are dry.

Ground Level Brick Pavers Patio, Step, and Walk Restored

Neglected for over 12 years, these Pavers are Restored by Repairs, Cleaning, & Sealing

Last week in Canton, Michigan, my team and I completed a total restoration of a ground level Brick Pavers Patio, Step, & Walkway. Daily I see these interlocking brick paver patios & walks that have been neglected & ignored until they become unsightly & unsafe.  Since these pavers have been installed over 12 years ago, no pavers maintenance or joint sand sweeping had been performed.  The pictures to the right is the results that you can expect from neglecting your brick pavers.

We started by performing necessary paving stone repairs that had sunk, lifted, and gapped.  Due to riding lawn mower damage, we also reset the outer 2 rows of paving stones for the entire paver patio & areas of the pavers walk that had tilted.  It is important to keep riding lawn movers off your paving stones. You or your hired lawn service contractor needs to weed whip approx. 1ft out from the outside edge of pavers to keep the mower tires off. Also, sprinkler heads need to be adjusted to keep water from spraying over or onto the paving stones.

The most immediate need was to repair the small curved Paver Step at the doorwall. This was not only an eye sore, but it had become unsafe for foot traffic.  We completely rebuilt the Paver Step by re-using the same materials but with a stronger construction.  As soon as Step caps or blocks come loose, it is important to address the issue before it quickly deteriorates.

After performing touch-up repairs to the paver walkway, we cleaned & power washed all paving stones and paver joints freeing them of moss, dirt, weeds, and grass.  We completed the process by sweeping in paver joint sand after the paving stones had dried. We cleaned up the job site and scheduled our return for Sealing all the pavers.

A few days later when all the pavers & paver joints where dry, we returned and applied an approved brick paver sealant over the pavers patio, step, and walkway.  The transformation of this interlocking paver project was tremendous!  The homeowner was ecstatic and I took the time to educate her on the minimal maintenance requirements for long-term performance & appearance.

This total restoration was just under $1,300 which included the repairs, cleaning, & sealing costs for this particular size & needs.  I explained the importance of keeping the paver joints filled with joint sand each Spring and if she did not have the time or inkling to perform, we offer seasonal  paver sweeping services at an affordable cost.

It is important to not blame brick pavers for failure, in most cases I see like this one, it was homeowner's neglect. It's not always the homeowner's fault because they were not properly educated by the installing contractor.  This is why it is important to select a brick paver specialist who offers ongoing advice & maintenance services.  Address the issues early to avoid high costs of repair and frustrations.